


Haruhi Fujioka is Aromantic

by dreamonlosers



Category: Ouran High School Host Club - All Media Types
Genre: Aromantic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-10
Updated: 2015-05-10
Packaged: 2018-03-29 22:28:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3912976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamonlosers/pseuds/dreamonlosers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haruhi thinks she's broken.</p><p>UPDATE 04/06/16: I'm not gonna orphan this because it has a lot of positive responses and i'm proud of the writing and writing about an overlooked identity for those who feel underrepresented, but i removed the LGBT tags because i do not think asexuality/aromanticism belongs under the umbrella due to issues of systematic power/identity politics.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Haruhi Fujioka is Aromantic

**Author's Note:**

> Hmm, hope I wrote an aromantic character appropriately, constructive criticism is more than welcome!

The seven members of the Ouran High School Host Club crowded around the couch in the middle of the music room. The morning sun was shining through the large windows, coloring everything in an ethereal light that Haruhi knew would only fuel Tamaki's flirtatious personality.

She watched him greet the girls that came in, holding their hands as he won them over with the charisma that only he could channel. It was amusing, if not somewhat daunting, to watch the girls become wrapped around his finger, completely lovestruck over every word, every syllable, that left his mouth.

Tamaki introduced each member of the Club to the girls, complimenting their best traits, like a salesman persuading customers to buy his product. Haruhi didn't understand how he could manage to churn out the same rote sentences over and over again, and yet he was able to do it with the same passion and grace that she saw on her first day as a club member. His gregariousness was admirable.

The girls fell head over heels for the Hitachiin twins, swooning over the brothers' closeness. Haruhi had long since grown used to their...displays, but it had shocked her quite a bit initially; evidently the girls had either grown accustomed to it or had no such qualms. Like with Tamaki, she was duly impressed by the twins' easy charm, and their eagerness to flirt with the girls - or rather, each other. 

Extroverts were such a strange demographic. 

While the others were romancing the young ladies, Kyoya was found at his computer, calculating the amount of money the club had coming in. Sometimes it slipped her mind that these services were for profit. Of course, it was necessary for it to be so. These damn rich people were attracted to money like moths to light. 

She had to admit, the methods used for the Club were tactical, and efficient. Without Kyoya, Haruhi knew everything would crash and burn. 

There wasn't a lot of that endearingly annoying energy that Tamaki had from Kyoya, so Haruhi never minded hanging around him, listening to his updates about the Host Club's finances, or just sitting in silence. Despite her bemusement in regard to the Club, she did love the boys. They were the first true friends she ever had.

At the beginning of the year, she would have laughed at the thought of befriending someone who was a chronic flirt (not to mention regularly addressed her as "commoner"), but it turns out that these plutocrats were more than meets the eye. With everyone she was made to entertain, they turned out to be astounding people with experiences and knowledge that she may have never stumbled upon if she hadn't broken that vase. Haruhi would occasionally forget that her original purpose was to pay off that debt. By then, she'd lost track of how much she owed; she was there by her own free will. 

Unlike her friends, however, she never developed a thing for anyone.

It wasn't a big surprise when one of the boys would develop a crush on a girl; in fact, it was rather common. Sometimes it took a week or so for the crush to burn out; other times they would pursue a relationship, but it would inevitably flounder. They never got too torn up over it - they were teenage boys, after all, and they showed more emotion when they got a bruise than when they got dumped. 

Haruhi felt like she should be doing the same. She had to feel something for someone, right? Then why hadn't she? Was it just that she hadn't met The One yet?

Inner conflict was not something she enjoyed. 

There had been weeks that had gone by where she pondered her sexuality. Was she broken? Had the libido-heavy undertones of the host club completely shut her off from romance all together? Was there some kind of hormonal balance that was messing her up?

Romance was all around her, yet it seemed impossible for her to get into it, and frankly, it frustrated her. She had always prided herself in being a logical and calm thinker, but feelings were more complicated, far beyond the help of logic. This was the first time since her mother's death that Haruhi was completely lost.

Honestly, it made her feel a bit sick. A sour dread had formed in her gut at the thought of being in the Host Club because she knew she couldn't properly return what others felt for her. She felt like she was lying to the girls when she pretended to reciprocate their feelings. She was lying to them. 

After her realization, Haruhi hadn't been putting near as much effort in her duties as she had at the start, becoming equable but dull. Soon enough, she wasn't chosen nearly as much as she was before. Both relief and guilt manifested within her.

Kyoya, who always oversaw how the members were doing, and noticed her lessening popularity, was quite blunt with her about it. 

He said to Haruhi, “People don't seem to like you as much anymore.”

Haruhi deadpanned, “Yeah. Thanks.”

“I'm sorry, was that insensitive of me?” He took off his glasses and wiped the lenses clean. “I was simply pointing out the dramatic decrease in requests for you. Now, why would that be?”

Kyoya didn't have terrible social skills - he was quite cunning, after all. He knew how to get what he wanted. 

“Um.” Haruhi didn't know how to talk about it; the thought of consulting someone never came to her. "I guess..I guess I just don't feel it anymore.”

It was partially honest. She had never felt it, but only recently acknowledged that fact.

“And what don't you feel?” Kyoya continued, and Haruhi didn't know if he would be a businessman or a therapist in the future.

She sighed, deciding that it was best to tell him no matter how ignominious a revelation it might be.

“I don't feel any sort of attraction to anyone," she said slowly and with uncertainty. “And perhaps I'm making a big deal out of it, but...it scares me.” That was all she could muster up the courage to say.

She expected him to say that she was just a late bloomer and that she would take interest in someone eventually, or that she was suffering some psychological disorder and would need medication immediately, but instead he looked at her and told her, “But that shouldn't scare you.”

Haruhi was assuaged by his calm response, and also a bit shocked.

Kyoya explained, “Sexuality isn't simply black and white. It's an entire spectrum, along with romantic attraction. There shouldn't be anything to be afraid of regarding sexuality, you see?

“You're not broken if you don't feel any kind of attraction, Haruhi. It's perfectly normal, in fact, many people are the same way.”

Haruhi was dumbstruck. She felt as if a weight had been removed from her shoulders. It was strange how validation from one person could make another feel more adequate.

Kyoya looked back at his laptop. “However, if you want to drop out of the host club over this, you're free to go; I am sure we can arrange something about your remaining debt."

“No,” she said. Courting the other girls was still possible. No where was it required that she had to fall for someone; there would be no one she had to date; and after thinking about it, most of the customers probably wouldn't care as long as she carried out her duties to them. Haruhi Fujioka wasn't broken if she didn't feel anything for anyone.

Her friends were still in the club as well, and she loved them no matter what crazy antics they dragged her into. There was no way in heaven or hell she would ever abandon them.

“I'll stay in the Host Club." She smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> I need to finish my Fullmetal Alchemist fic, I have it written but it needs severe editing, but it'll be up eventually if anyone wants to know. This one is finished though! Thanks for reading.


End file.
